Summit Community Gardens sowing Seeds of Change

Fundraiser will help expand programs

﻿(Courtesy of Summit Community Gardens)
Summit Community Gardens will host Seeds of Change, its first spring fundraiser, on Monday, June 5, at Vessel Kitchen.

﻿(Courtesy of Summit Community Gardens)
Seeds of Change fundraiser will help Summit County Gardens raise money for the garden’s summer camps for kids as well as other healthy-food programs that will benefit the community.

The nonprofit that teaches about gardening and provides space for local residents to grow their own food is starting a kids' summer camp and expanding its Garden Bounty Project, which donates produce to local nonprofits.

It's also launching a program with the Christian Center of Park City to offer food bank clients plots to grow their own food.

"As an organization, myself and my board have a passion to make Summit Community Gardens into something bigger," Executive Director Ken Kullack said.

To help facilitate these programs, Summit Community Gardens will host Seeds of Change, its first spring fundraiser, from 6-9 p.m. on Monday, June 5, at Vessel Kitchen,
1784 Uinta Way. Tickets are $75 each.

"We've done some events last year that weren't designed as fundraisers, because they were just about getting people to the garden and enjoy themselves," Kullack said. "So, this time we want to do a hybrid of sorts. We want to raise money because we are a nonprofit, but at the same time, we want people to come and have fun."

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Summit Community Gardens partnered with Vessel Kitchen because the restaurant has a similar mission.

"Like us, they want to encourage people to eat healthy and think about the food they eat," Kullack said. "They source a lot of their fresh produce locally as much as possible, in fact, some of their providers rent garden plots from us. So we thought this would be a natural connection and a cool fit."

Vessel Kitchen will provide the food during the event.

"We'll start with appetizers and hors d'oeuvres and offer a local cheese platter," Kullack said. "We will also have a cash bar, so people can get a drink and mingle and network."

The fundraiser will also feature a live auction and an opportunity drawing. Items for the auction and drawing will be worth upwards of $500, Kullack said.

"Deer Valley has donated four summer day passes and a one-night stay at one of their places," he said. "And someone from The Farm restaurant, who rents a garden plot from us, donated a custom, three-course dinner at the restaurant."

Kullack and members of his board will also do a little introduction about the Summit Community Gardens.

The gardens is enjoying its second year located at 4056 Shadow Mountain Drive, Kullack said.

"This is also the second year we are offering plot rentals, so people in the community can come grow their own food and flowers," he said. "Last year we had nearly 90 plot renters. We had between an 80 to 90 percent renewal rate, which we think is indicative of the support we have from the community."

The gardens also has a new staff.

"Our new garden manager is Sarah Duke, who replaced Lynsey Gammon," Kullack said. "We also have a new assistant garden managers, Meghan Newsome, who is replacing
Kristi Kennedy from last year, and our new board president is Kelly Vendetti.

"So we have a lot of new people who will help us take the gardens to the next level."

The next level includes the kids' camps and other programs.

"We're offering four weeklong kids' camps that run in June, July and August," Kullack said. "Those camps are designed to get kids into the garden and get their hands dirty. And we'll cover topics like beneficial insects, seeds and how they work."

Another program Kullack wants to expand is the Garden Bounty Project.

"Our garden staff grows our own produce — carrots, greens, radishes, peas and other foods — to sell and donate," he said. "We donate to the Christian Center of Park City, Peace House, EATS Park City and Community Action Service Food banks in Kamas and Coalville."

Last year, Summit Community Gardens donated more than 1,400 pounds of food.

"Many people see Park City as this wealthy resort town, but don't know about people who live here who are food insecure," Kullack said.
Speaking of the Christian Center of Park City, Summit Community Gardens has begun working with the nonprofit to offer its food bank clients free gardening plots so they can grow their own food.

"Seeds of Change Fundraiser will help expand these programs," Kullack said. "This is something we want to do every year, and hopefully, we'll continue doing it with Vessel Kitchen."

Summit Community Gardens will hold its first Seeds of Change Fundraiser from 6-9 p.m. on Monday, June 5, at Vessel Kitchen, 1784 Uinta Way. Tickets are $75 and can be purchased by visiting summitcommunitygardens.org.